THE BASICS:

• Score:  Holy Cross 80, Boston University 64
• Records: Holy Cross 6-6, 1-0 PL; Boston University 7-7, 0-1 PL
• Location: Hart Center, Worcester, Mass.
• Date: December 30, 2015
• The Lead: Junior forward Malachi Alexander scored 17 points on seven of eight shooting from the field, to lead the Holy Cross men's basketball team to an 80-64 victory over Boston University at the Hart Center.

THE TURNPIKE TROPHY:

• The game between the Crusaders and the Terriers was part of the inaugural Turnpike Trophy competition, in which Boston University now holds a 5-2 lead.
• Alexander was selected as the game's Turnpike Trophy MVP.
• This athletic series between the in-state Patriot League rivals awards points for all head-to-head victories in both the regular season and postseason, with the Turnpike Trophy going to the school which accumulates the most points at the end of the academic year.
• The next Turnpike Trophy match-up comes from Feb. 17-20, as the men's and women's swimming and diving teams will square off at the Patriot League Championship in Annapolis, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After Boston University led 40-35 at the break, Holy Cross used a 10-0 run over the first 3:33 of the second half to claim the lead.
• The game stayed close for the next several minutes, and the Crusaders would later lead 54-51 with 11:43 left to play.
• Holy Cross then scored the next 10 points, including five from Alexander, to take an insurmountable 64-51 advantage.
• The Terriers would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way, as the Crusaders eventually claimed a 16-point victory.
• Holy Cross had opened the game with an early 8-3 lead, before Boston University went on a 12-3 run to pull in front.
• The Terriers would lead by as many as seven points (32-25) late the half, before taking a five-point lead into the locker room.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Freshman forward Karl Charles had a strong all-around game with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots.
• Senior guard Cullen Hamilton finished with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists, while junior guard Robert Champion totaled 11 points, five assists, three steals and two rebounds.
• Boston University was led by Nathan Dieudonne with 18 points and nine rebounds.
• The Crusaders shot 53.6 percent from the field (30 of 56) and 91.7 percent at the free throw line (11 of 12) on the night.
• The Terriers hit 38.2 percent of their shots from the floor (21 of 55), including just 29.6 percent in the second half (eight of 27).

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Holy Cross won its Patriot League opener for the first time since the 2011-2012 season, when it downed Lehigh 84-78 at the Hart Center.
• The Crusaders improve to 53-15 all-time against Boston University, winning their second straight over the Terriers.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 2, when it travels to Navy for a 1:00 p.m. game.

BE PART OF THE ACTION:

• Single-game tickets, season tickets and mini plans to see the Crusaders are on sale now. Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to see the best collegiate basketball in Central Massachusetts! Tickets for Holy Cross basketball can be purchased online at GoHolyCross.com/tickets or over the phone by calling 1-844-GOCROSS.

KEEP CONNECTED:

• To stay updated on the Holy Cross men's basketball team, follow the Crusaders on Twitter @HCrossMBB and on Facebook at HolyCrossBasketball.
• You can also subscribe for email alerts for all news and information on the team by clicking here.